Comfortbilt HP22i Pellet Stove Fireplace Insert Heats 2800 sq.ft 47 lb Hopper Capacity

A season with Comfortbilt’s HP22i insert

I swapped an aging pellet insert in my masonry fireplace for Comfortbilt’s HP22i this past heating season and gave it the primary duty of keeping a two-story, moderately open 2,400 sq ft home warm. After months of daily use, a few things stand out: the HP22i is a brute for heat, straightforward to live with, and thoughtfully engineered for installs into existing fireplaces—but it’s not a “smart” stove, and its controls skew practical rather than refined.

Installation and setup

This is a heavy unit, so plan your move-in and protect your hearth. Once in place, the install was uncomplicated. As with any pellet insert, a dedicated stainless liner is the right (and code-compliant) path; I ran a 3-inch insulated liner and terminated it with a cap and block-off plate to keep the chimney from robbing heat. The stove needs a standard 110 V outlet, and I recommend adding a surge protector or a small UPS if your power blips often—pellet stoves won’t run without electricity.

A fresh-air intake (outside air kit) is optional but worth doing in tight homes or if you notice negative pressure from kitchen/bath fans. The surround panels covered the old firebox neatly, and the bay-view window modernized the look of a dated fireplace.

Initial startup was uneventful. Auto-ignition lit cleanly, the combustion and room blowers spooled up without drama, and there were no lingering paint or oil odors after the first hour. Measure your fireplace carefully before ordering; clearances and surround sizes matter with inserts more than freestanding stoves.

Controls: practical, not connected

Controls are intuitive: five manual heat levels, a programmable thermostat mode, and an included remote. The interface is old-school in a good way—no app or Wi‑Fi, no hidden menus. The “i” in HP22i doesn’t mean “internet,” and anyone shopping for connected control should note that up front.

Thermostat control worked reliably, but I found the reading ran a few degrees warmer than the room at head height. That’s common when the sensor sits near warm air rising along the face of the unit. Two easy workarounds helped: I set a slightly lower target temp than my wall thermostat, and I used a small, quiet fan to push warm air farther into the room. If you need tighter temperature control, wiring an external thermostat is the cleanest path.

One limitation: there’s no direct user control for combustion fan speed independent of heat level. On manual levels, the flame profile is more “forced-air torch” than woodstove ambiance, especially at higher outputs. It’s not ugly, but it’s utilitarian; the HP22i’s mission is to move heat, and it does.

Heat output and distribution

Comfortbilt rates this insert for spaces up to 2,800 sq ft. In my climate (high 20s to mid 30s F), heat level 2–3 kept the main floor at a steady 70–72°F and sent enough warmth upstairs that the central system rarely kicked on. In a deep cold snap (single digits and wind), level 4 held the line without drama.

Pellet consumption tracked with expectations for a high-output insert. In shoulder season, I burned roughly 20–30 pounds in a day. On continuous high, plan on heavier use—this is a 2800-sq-ft-class heater, and high heat comes with a fuel bill. The 47 lb hopper is a quality-of-life win: filled to the brim, it easily covers an overnight run on medium, and on lower levels I often refilled every other day.

Noise is very manageable. You will hear the convection blower as a steady low whoosh and the auger’s periodic feed ticks. Compared to older pellet inserts I’ve owned and tested, the HP22i is on the quieter side, though not whisper-quiet. Placing it in an existing fireplace recess helps damp sound.

Efficiency, glass, and maintenance

This unit is EPA-approved and runs clean with decent pellets. The air-wash keeps the bay window clear longer than I expected; with hardwood pellets, I was wiping light haze every few days but only scraping heavier residue weekly. The ash pan is sensibly sized and easy to access. A quick daily scrape of the burn pot and a weekly vacuum kept things running smoothly.

Pellet quality matters. With a couple of softwood blends I saw more clinkers in the pot and faster ash buildup. Better pellets gave a brighter flame and fewer cleanouts. If you value long glass intervals and minimal ash, it’s worth being picky with fuel.

One behavior to watch for is pellet bridging in the hopper—pellets can sometimes hang up and fail to slide toward the auger, especially as the level drops to halfway. It’s not unique to this model, but I saw it a few times. A couple of practical mitigations: polish the hopper with a light graphite spray (dry lube, not oil), avoid long softwood pellets that tend to tangle, and give the hopper a shake when you pass by. Once I switched brands and treated the hopper sides, the issue virtually vanished.

Build quality and serviceability

The chassis and panels feel sturdy, and welds are clean. Internally, access is straightforward—removing side panels reveals the main components and makes it easy to check fasteners and harness routing. I found a couple of screws worth snugging after the first week of heat cycles, which is normal for an appliance that vibrates. Auto-ignition has been consistent, reigniting after cleanouts without fuss.

The bay-view door seals tight, the latch is positive, and the black finish has held up well to daily operation and occasional bumps during ash-pan removal. Overall, it’s a solidly built insert in a segment where cheaper units can feel tinny.

Venting, safety, and power

As with any pellet insert, proper venting is non-negotiable. Run a dedicated liner to the cap—do not just “dump” into an existing chimney flue. Seal the damper area with a block-off plate to keep heat in the living space, and add CO detectors on each level of the home. Because the stove requires power, plan your contingencies: in an outage, the flame goes out and the fans stop. A small UPS can let the unit shut down gracefully if the lights flicker.

Aesthetics

The large bay-view window is a highlight. It spreads the flame across a wide arc and throws a welcoming glow. That said, pellet flames are inherently more jet-like than the rolling waves of a woodstove, and the HP22i’s strong combustion air at higher levels leans functional over romantic. If you’re buying primarily for ambiance, a catalytic wood insert will look prettier. If you’re buying for warmth and convenience, this gets the nod.

What I’d change

• Add modern connectivity. A simple Wi‑Fi module with a basic app or smart-thermostat integration would help. At minimum, a clean way to integrate a wall thermostat with offset control should be standard.
• Offer user-adjustable combustion fan trim. Even modest control at each heat level would let users tune burn characteristics for different pellets and altitude.
• Steeper hopper walls or a slicker liner from the factory would reduce the chance of pellet bridging, especially for longer pellets.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners with an existing masonry or zero-clearance fireplace who want to convert it into a high-output, thermostat-driven heater.
• DIY-capable users comfortable running a liner and doing routine maintenance.
• Anyone prioritizing heat-per-dollar and simple, reliable controls over smart-home features or ultra-quiet operation.

Verdict

I recommend the HP22i. It earns the spot with strong heat output, a large and genuinely useful 47 lb hopper, clean EPA-certified operation, straightforward controls, and a design that slides neatly into existing fireplaces. Day to day, it’s easy to live with: the ash pan is convenient, the glass stays presentable with decent pellets, and auto-ignition is dependable.

The trade-offs are clear. There’s no Wi‑Fi or app, thermostat readings can run a few degrees warm at the unit, flame aesthetics are more functional than poetic, and pellet bridging is possible without a little attention to fuel choice and hopper slickness. None of those were deal-breakers for me. If your goal is comfortable, controllable heat across a large space with minimal fuss—and the potential to qualify for a 30% federal stove tax credit—this insert delivers.